Chaya Gusfield is, along with Rabbi Lori Klein

Rabbi Lori Klein

Rabbi Lori Klein is, along with Chaya Gusfield, one of the two first openly lesbian rabbis ordained by the Jewish Renewal movement. They were both ordained at the same time in January 2006. She now serves as an oncology hospital chaplain at Stanford University Medical Center, and as Chair of the...

, one of the two first openly lesbian

Lesbian

Lesbian is a term most widely used in the English language to describe sexual and romantic desire between females. The word may be used as a noun, to refer to women who identify themselves or who are characterized by others as having the primary attribute of female homosexuality, or as an...

 rabbis ordained by the Jewish Renewal

Jewish Renewal

Jewish Renewal , is a recent movement in Judaism which endeavors to reinvigorate modern Judaism with mystical, Hasidic, musical and meditative practices...

 movement. They were both ordained at the same time in January 2006. Gusfield was a legal services lawyer and director of a community mediation program prior to joining the rabbinate. She is currently the Assistant Rabbi and B’nei Mitzvah Coordinator for Beth Chaim Congregation in Danville, California. Prior to this, she served as one of the Spiritual Leaders for the Renewal Synagogue in Piedmont/Oakland, Kehilla Community Synagogue, and as the Program Director for Kol Shofar, a Conservative Synagogue in Marin.
She and her partner live in Oakland with their daughter Yeshi.